Ondo governorship face-off: Can Ajayi Upset Aiyedatiwa’s hopes?

 

 

The preparation of the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election scheduled to hold on Saturday November 16 is in top gear as all the candidates vying for the seat of  governorship position at Alagbaka are plotting strategies on how to clinch the post.

 

Already, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said that 2.053 million registered voters will participate in the governorship election in the state

 

The political atmosphere is rapidly intensifying, with many eyes on the factors that could influence the democratic exercise and shape the outcome as all the candidates have moved out their machinery on the field to win voters to their sides.

 

Of course, the contestants are girding their loins even as politicians in their numbers have arrived at their country home to canvas votes for their candidates.

 

Apart from the candidates vying for the top office in the state, the election is expected to be peaceful for the fact that in the couple of weeks, no single violence has been recorded during the electioneering campaign by all the parties in the state.

 

With this fact, the election will be a testing capacity of the electoral body to conduct a free, fair, and peaceful vote throughout the 18 local government areas of the state. Although, one cannot rule out voter inducement and planned vote buying which would also influence the outcome of the election.

 

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), 17 political parties have nominated candidates for the election. The final list of candidates published by INEC on June 14th, 2024 includes incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party LP, Zenith Labour Party ZLP, Social Democratic Party SDP and others.

 

The governorship election which will be held throughout the 18 Local government areas of the state in the three Senatorial Districts is now the talk of the town in all nooks and crannies, both markets places, within farmers circle, in the tertiary institutions, among the traditional rulers, students, artisans, some so-called politicians and even the elite.

 

One could see that each of the political parties in the state has adopted house-to-house campaigns and auto-phone conversations with the electorate. Politicians in the state have not only opened their verbal war arsenals, but are already in their old game of name calling and character assassination. Although, no single violence, physical attacks has been recorded unlike previous governorship elections in the state. This is attestation to the fact that Ondo state is moving higher politically and the level of political maturity and tolerance is commendable.

 

The thinking and strategies of the opposition parties now is how to wrestle power from the incumbent governor of the state, Hon.lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress APC

 

Already, eligible voters are seen either in groups or individually going about with their voter’s cards in their pockets, smiles as a bride-to-be.

 

They are also putting everything in place so as to make sure that a right candidate irrespective of his or her party is elected to saddle the ship of the state in the next four years.

 

Among the 17 political parties that featured candidates, only five parties are making waves, All Progressives Congress APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Labour Party LP, Zenith Labour Party ZLP and Social Democratic Party but only two parties, APC and PDP are prominent among them.

 

The race will now be between the two major prominent political parties and candidates of Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa of the ruling APC  and Chief Agboola Ajayi of the PDP.

 

This election is a testing of power politically by the two Deputy Governors to former Governor of the state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who died last December, 2023. The two candidates are from the riverine areas of the South Senatorial District of the state.

 

However, two political analysts in their Facebook page, Mr. Larry Tugbi and Prince Kayode Ojomo have argued in favour of each of their preferred candidates among the two.

 

Tugbi said “Red Alert…Another Emilokan in ONDO STATE. Let all the Reasonable People of Ondo State be Vigilant ooo.. This Gov Ayedatiwa APC Never tell us anything Meaningful since he started his Campaign…He will just Says …. Odatiwa,Odirorun. Please, good people of Ondo State we don’t want another Emilokan Arabanbi Tinubu that put Nigerians into troubles and suffering now… Let Vote Someone that promised us… Free Education….Good healthcare..Good infrastructures…Empowerment/Employment Good Security….Good Agriculture…Agboola Alfred Ajayi of PDP Will trust.”

 

 

 

But, Prince Kayode Ojomo said “PDP picked a wrong and already defeated Gubernatorial Candidate, Agboola Ajayi for the 16th November, 2024 Gubernatorial election. Someone that Senator Jimoh Ibrahim just pummeled “BLACK & BLUE” to emerge the Senator, Ondo South Senatorial District with over 45,000 votes margin.  My people , please guess: By what margin do you think Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa will defeat Agboola Ajayi? ME : At least 145 Thousand Votes margin……Aiyedatiwa no be Agboola Ajayi mate in any material particular. Final conclusion: Ondo State remains LUCKY for the next four years and Beyond,” he said

 

However, one would see the handwriting of the situation in the state as the incumbent governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress has an upper hand in all three Senatorial Districts with the winning strategy permutations he adopted with the recent employment of over 300,000 SSAs and SAs apart from having key Elders and leaders in all the three Senatorial Districts and also political appointees who are working assiduously so that the governor could win the election.

 

Governor Olusegun Mimiko factors is also there when the majority of his foot soldiers have decamped to APC. Both open and secret cross carpeting have been noticed in the last few weeks as a lot of stalwarts are moving from other political parties to APC on a daily basis.

 

The 18 local government areas are:-Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South East, Akoko South West, Akure North, Akure South, Ifedore, Ile Oluji/Okeigbo, Ondo East, Ondo West, Owo, Ilaje, Okitipupa, Ose, Odigbo, Ese Odo, Idanre and Irele

 

The Ondo 2024 governorship election will likely come down to six key battleground local government areas: Akure South, Odigbo, Okitipupa, Owo, Ondo West, and Ilaje as the voters that live in these states are the most sought after by political campaigns.

 

For example, Akure South Local government has the largest votes over 280,000 registered voters, Aiyedatiwa could boast of the Secretary to the State Government SSG, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi (Tuykana), NDDC Executive Director, Hon. Ifesayo Abegunde (Abena), Hon. Olumuyiwa Sylvester Adu (Cubana), Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire SAN representing Ondo Central, Hon Abiodun Adesida, Member House of Representatives representing Akure South and Akure North,  Minister for Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, former Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye.

 

Others are, the Chairman, Akure South Local government, LCDA Caretaker Committee Chairmen, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Board Chairmen and Commissioner, among others.

 

The Central Senatorial District has the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Engineer Ade Adetimehin, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Olamide Oladiji, House of Assembly members, all the Chairmen of the local government areas and LCDAs, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Board Chairmen and Commissioners, House of Assembly members among others.

 

Owo local government has over 119,000 registered voters where the current Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami hails from along with Hon. Femi Idris, Prince Kayode Ojomo, House of Assembly members among others.

 

The other local government of Ondo North Senatorial district, Aiyedatiwa could boast of the Minister of Interior, Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Senator Jide Ipinsagba, Rt. Hon Victor Olabimtan, a political juggernaut, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Hon. Ifeoluwa Ehindero, member House of Representatives representing Akoko North Federal Constituency, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde, Hon. Adegboyega Adefarati, member House of Representatives representing Akoko South Federal constituency.

 

Others are Hon. Oluwatimehin Adelegbe, member House of Representatives representing Owo /Ose Federal constituency, Chief Olumuyiwa Asagunla, Chief Bode Sumonu, Chief Eratus Akeju, Comrade Gani Mohammed Ajowa,  all the Chairmen of the local government areas and LCDAs, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Board Chairmen and Commissioners, and House of Assembly members among others.

 

 

Ilaje Local government area, which is in the South Senatorial District, has one of the highest voters in the state and has the State Governor, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, former Secretary to State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim representing South Senatorial District, Chief Olusola Oke, Pastor Femi Agagu, Engr. Ife Oyedele, Ambassador Olusola Iji,

 

The South Senatorial District has Mr Wale Akinterinwa, former commissioner for Finance, Commissioners, Local government Chairmen, Caretaker Committee Chairmen, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Board Chairmen among others.

 

Although, wooing voters at the grassroots with goodies is now the order of the day in the state as all the parties have started meeting with notable politicians one by one to bring their supporters to their sides.

 

One of the strategies adopted by Chief Olumuyiwa Asagunla, a political Strategist was a house-to-house campaign with empowerment in Akoko North West Local government area of the state as those who have been empowered have vowed to vote for Aiyedatiwa.

 

Also, another political juggernaut, Rt. Hon Victor Olabimtan could not hide his feelings when he received thousands of his supporters in Akoko South West who vowed to work for Aiyedatiwa.

 

According to one of them simply know as Adebayo Abiodun, Hon. Olabimtan is a cheerful giver, a political mobilizer, the Jagaban of our time who had impacted the lives of his people.

 

He said: “We are happy to be his supporters, we are already working towards wining governorship elections in this local government for APC governorship candidate, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.”

 

However, the governorship race seems to be getting tougher by the day as supporters of the major political parties are now struggling to outwit one another.

 

It could seen that all the leadership of the parties are working round the clock to see that their party is back on track in the state.

 

One of the things observed is that all the parties are working on their gentlemanly attitude to woo voters.

 

However, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, has called on the people of Ondo state to elect those who have the required capacity to rebuild the state in the November 16 gubernatorial election.

 

Obi spoke in Akure, the state capital while leading the campaign of the LP candidate in the election, Barrister Sola Ebiseni.

 

So far so good, the environment and atmosphere remained calm and peaceful, with people going about their normal activities and also discussing who to vote for. But, time will tell which party and candidate will emerged victorious